Switch-throw stand



Patented Apr. 1, 1930 PATENT OFFICES V JOHN 0. GILL, OF BARNESBORO, PENNSYLVANIA SWITCH-THROW STAND Application filed. June 29,

i This invention relates to a switch throw stand, and has for one of its objects to-provide a novel and highly efficient device of this character which shall be adapted to be used '5 in connection with an underground or surface track switch of any type.

The invention has for a further object to provide a switch throw stand which shall be adapted to prevent the switch from occupying a partlyopened or partly closed position and shall beadapted when actuated to positively throw the switch from its fully opened to itsfully closed or from its fully closed to its fully opened position.

The invention has for a further obj ect'to provide a switch throw stand which shall be so constructed as to render it impossible for the operator to be injured thereby and to require the minimum clearance for the installation and operation thereof.

The'invention has for a further object to provide a switch stand which shall be adapted to-be easily and quickly, adjusted so as to increase or decreasethe lengthv of the throw of the rod connecting itto the switch.

The invention has for a still further object to provide a switch stand which shall be rigid, durable, simple and lightin weight without sacrificing strength and wearing qualities, and which shall be capable of being manufactured and soldat a comparatively low cost.' V

Withfitheioregoing and other objects in view, the nature of which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the construction, combination andarrangement ofparts hereinafter fully described and claimed-and illustrated in the accompanying 1 drawings, wherein Figure 1 is aview in switch throw stand;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the switch throw stand; v

Figure 3 is a viewin sideelevation of the lower portion of a slightly modified form of the switch throw stand; and

Q Figure 4 is a detailed sectionalview taken on the vertical plane indicated by the line 4'4= ofFigure 3. I

front'elevation of the The switch throw stand comprises a base 1 1929. Serial No. 374,699.

which embodies a horizontal portion or flange Qand a vertical portion orflange 3. The base 1 is adapted to be secured to a tie 4 through the medium of its flange 2, such flange resting upon the tie and adapted tobe secured thereto in anysuitable manner. The flange 3 extends upwardly from the longitudinal edge of the flange 2, and said flanges are substantially of the same length. An upright or standard 5 is secured to the base 1 at the transverse center of the latter. The standard 5 has its lower end resting upon the flange 2 and has its lower endportion contacting with the rear side of the flange 3. A brace 6 of inverted V-form is secured at its ends to the base 1, and is offset at its apex to provide'a socket 7 for the reception of the standard 5.

The ends of the brace 6 rest upon theflange 2 andtheir end portions contact with the rear side of the flange 3, and the socket 7 contacts is" with therear and lateral sidesof the standard 5. The base 1, standard 5 and brace 6 may be welded to each other or secured in assembled relation by rivets 8.

A lever 9 is pivotally connected at one side oi'its transverse center to the stand: ard 5 through the medium of a bolt 10, and .the bolt is engaged with thestandard at.

a point between thebase flange 3and the brace sock'et T. The lever 9 is arranged. at the front side of the standard 5, and is spaced therefrom by a collar 11 whichis mount; ed "upon the .bolt .10 between the lever and standard; Thelower or shorter arm. 9% of the lever'9is' offset to space it'forwardly bee yond the base flange 3, and secured at the lower endof this arm is a rod 12 which is connected to the switch. The rod 12 is provided' with a clevis 13 which-embraces the lower end of the lever arm 9 and is connected 3'3" thereto by a bOlt l L The upper or longer arm 9" of'thelever 9 is provided at its upper end with a slidingbl'ock 15 which'is provided with abore l6 and a pivot lug .17. The bore 16 arid pivot lug 17 are right angularly related, and the latter is rotatably arranged in an opening 18 in the upper end of the lever arm 1:9 The block 15 is arranged at the front side of the lever Qand a cotter pin 19 or other suita-ble element carried by'the' 'pivot'lu'g 17' and contacting with the rear side of the lever,

maintains the pivotal connection between the block and lever. A turning block 20 is pivotally connected to the upper end of the standard 5, and it is provided with a bore 21 and a pivot lug 22 which are right angularly related.

The block 20 is arranged at the front side of the standard 5, and the lug 22 thereof passes through an opening 23 in the standard. A cotter pin 24; passing through the pivot lug 22 and contacting with a washer 25, mounted upon the pivot lug between the standard 5 and cotter pin, maintains the pivotal connection between the block 20 and the standard. A handle 26 passes through the sliding block 15 and the turnin block 20, and has its upper end reduced and termed to provide a grip 27. The handle 26 has a fixed position with respect to the turning block 20 and a slidable connection with the sliding block 15, and itis fixed to the turning block by a set screw 28 or the like. The sliding block 15 is held against displacement from the handle 26 by a pin 29 which passes through the handle and upon which .reststhe block. A coil spring 30 is mounted upon the handle 26 between the sliding block 15 and the turning block 20 and bears at its ends against the blocks.

lVhen the switch throw stand is in use, the lever 9 and handle 26 are angularly related to each other and the standard 5 when the switch is in either closed or. opened position,

and the lever and handle are held in their angular relation, and the switch is held in closed or opened position, by the spring 30. hen

by broken lines in said figure. It will thus be apparent that. by throwing the lever 9 from its solid line to its broken line position, the switch will be opened, and that by throwing the lever from its broken line toits solid line position, the switch will be closed, the

' lever being thrown by the handle 26.

' During the movement of the lever 9 from.

one of its positions to theother, the spring is compressed, and the spring is under the greatest compression when the lever and handle are in vertical alinement, with the result that when the lever is moved to one side orthe other of the vertical, the spring will react and positively move the switch from one of its positions to the other. The switch cannot have any intermediate position due to the fact that the spring 30 begins to react immediately after the lever 9has been moved beyond the vertical. To adjust the throw or distance of travel of the lower end of the lever 9,. it is onlynecessary to adjust the sliding block 15 upwardly upon the handle 26 when it is desired to decrease the throw and downwardly when it is desired to increase the throw. The sliding block 15 is held in its adjusted position through the medium of the pin 29 which is arranged in a selected opening of a series 29 in the handle 26.

The switch throw stand described is adapted for light duty, and to convert it into a heavy duty stand, it is only necessary to increase the number of levers to two, as shown in Figure 3. The levers 31 are connected to the standard 5 by a bolt 32. They are held in relatively spaced relation by a collar 33 carried by the bolt 32, and they are held in spaced relation to the standard 5 by a collar 34 also carried by the bolt. In this form of the invention, the sliding block 15 is provided with two pivot lugs 22 with which the upper ends of the levers 31 are engaged, and the levers are provided at their lower ends with a block 35 which is arranged between said ends of the levers and connected thereto by pivot lugs 36.

The block 35 is provided with a passage torthe reception of a threaded end 37 of a switch rod 38, and these parts are connected together by nuts 39 carried by the rod and engaging opposite sides of the block. The other parts of the switch throw stand shown in this figure are similar to the corresponding parts of the device shown in Figures 1 and 2 and are designated by the same reference characters. In both forms of the invention, the bores through the blocks are spaced from the lever and stand sufficiently to prevent the spring from contacting with said parts and thus insure the free contraction and expansion of the spring during the movement of said parts,

lVhile I have described the principle of the invention together with the structure which I now consider the preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the structure shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim i 1. A switch throw stand comprising a support,a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the support and adapted to have itslower end connected to a switch, a handle, means pivotally connecting an intermediate portioniof the handle to the support, means pivotally and slidably connecting the lower end of the handleto the lever, and a coil spring surrounding the handle between and bearing at its ends against said means and normally tending to hold the handle and lever in angular relation, said means spacing the handle and spring from said support and lever so as to permit the free compression and expansion of the spring during the movement of the handle and lever. v

2. A switch throw stand comprising a support, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the support and adapted to have its lower end connected to a switch, a block pivotally connected to the upper end of the lever and provided with a bore, a block pivotally connected to the support above the path of movement of said first block and provided with a bore, a handle passing through the bores of the blocks, means securing an intermediate portion of the handle to said second block, the lower end of the handle and said first block being slidable with respect to each other, means for limiting the downward movement of said first block with respect to the handle, and a coil spring surrounding the handle between and bearing at its ends against the blocks and tending to normally hold the handle and lever in angular relation, the bores of the blocks being spaced from the support and lever sufficiently to prevent the spring from contacting with said parts and thus permit the free contraction and expansion of the spring during the movement of said parts. I

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

JOHN O. GILL. 

